Wellington, FL – January 11, 2014 – At today’s competition at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) CDI W, two young riders made their mark in the show ring. Sixteen-year-old Juan Matute, Jr. (ESP) rode Don Diego Ymas to the win in the FEI Intermediaire I presented by Chesapeake Dressage with a score of 70.579%. Megan Lane (CAN), at 22 years old, took the top placing in the FEI Grand Prix Special, presented by MTICA Farm, with Caravella and scored 68.980%.

The first week of the AGDF concludes tomorrow with a full schedule of national classes as well as the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle presented by Everglades Dressage. The AGDF continues for 11 more weeks of top dressage competition through March 30.

Matute, Jr. and Don Diego Ymas, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Don Frederico, have been paired for three years, although the horse has been with Matute’s family since he was four years old. This was their first I-1 at a CDI.

Second place in the FEI I-1 was Heather Mason (USA) on Zar, who scored a 69.789%. Jill Irving (CAN) and Dio Mio placed third after they scored 68.895%.

Matute, Jr. is originally from Madrid, Spain, but now lives in Wellington, FL. Of his first I-1 class, he said, “I think it’s a great opportunity to ride with big riders, like the ones that rode today. I think it was a good test with big judges as well. It was our first I-1 at a CDI, so I think it was very successful. I’m super happy,” he expressed.

For their first two years together, they competed at the junior level and after placing fourth individually in the Freestyle at the European Junior Championships this past summer, they decided to move up to the next level. “We know the horse can do the movements, so why not? It’s a challenge,” he said.

This week was also a learning experience for Matute, Jr. “It’s been a fantastic weekend. We learned a lot and it was great. He’s a bit nervous when it comes to showing and being alone in the ring,” he explained. “The first day he was a bit nervous, but on the second day he was much more confident and listened to me more. We rode more as a couple, more together.”

Megan Lane of Loretto, ON, Canada, and Caravella, a 16-year-old KWPN mare by Contango x Riverman, have made their way up to the Grand Prix level together. After successfully competing at the junior and young rider levels (they medaled six times at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior Young Rider Championships), they moved up to the Grand Prix last year.

“I have brought her along from the beginning. When I bought her, I bought her as a hunter,” Lane recalled. “She’s the first horse for my first Grand Prix and my first horse that I’ve brought along to this point. It’s very exciting.”

Judge Natalie Lamping noted that Caravella’s passage was “a little too open in the beginning,” but that as the test progressed, “it became more closed and got more elevation.” She continued, “I think she did a really good job at setting the mare up and being organized in the test. She hasn’t maxed out yet. There is a lot of room for the score to go up. Sometimes you’re limited by the scope of your horse, but they haven’t gone there yet. That was nice to see.”

Lane agreed with the assessment and while she said that her piaffe and passage were a highlight of her test today, she also noted that yesterday’s “canter zig-zag” was the best one she has ever ridden. “It’s nice when that happens in the test!” she exclaimed.

AGDF 1 Dressage CDI-W concludes tomorrow with the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle presented by Everglades Dressage. For full results and more information, please visitwww.globaldressagefestival.com.